More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)

Edward I

(1239–1307)King of England from 1272; eldest son of *Henry III and Eleanor of Provence; married in 1254 Eleanor of Castile, who died in 1290 and for whom he put up the *Eleanor Crosses.

Edward's reign was marked by an aggressively expansionist policy against both Wales and Scotland. In Wales he succeeded in overwhelming *Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and in holding down his territories with a ring of rapidly constructed but massively strong castles (*Caernarfon, *Harlech, *Conwy, *Beaumaris).

In Scotland he was given an opportunity to intervene when the death of *Margaret, the Maid of Norway, left the country without an obvious heir. Edward invaded in 1296, removing to Westminster the famous Stone of *Scone, but with opponents of the quality of William *Wallace and *Robert the Bruce he found himself engaged in years of ineffectual campaigning.

At home he showed great skill in his control of the barons. He used parliament to mobilize support for his policies and summoned in 1295 what later became known as the *Model Parliament. One group to suffer from his ruthless methods was the *Jews, who were first stripped of their wealth and then in 1290 expelled from the country. Edward died in 1307 on his way north to attempt to reconquer Scotland. He was succeeded by his son Edward II (see the *royal house).